Articles: pain-management.
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Study Design. This is a prospective study designed to identify psychological factors associated with response to spinal cord stimulation (SCS) trial. Summary of Background Data. ⋯ Conclusions. Patient mood state is an important predictor of trial outcome. Specific indicators of SCS trial outcome are the MMPI depression and mania subscale scores with successful trials being associated with individuals who are less depressed and have higher energy levels.
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Study Design. This is a retrospective study on 102 patients subjected to implantation of a spinal cord stimulation system for nonmalignant chronic pain management. The study was conducted through an extensive questionnaire and telephone interviews by a neutral third party. ⋯ Psychological screening contributed to the success of the procedure. Conclusions. With proper medical and psychological screening and with demonstrated initial pain relief, spinal cord stimulation remains an effective modality in the long-term management of severe chronic pain.
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The aims of this study were: (1) to compare two groups of patients with chronic pain conditions (work-related muscular pain, mainly low back pain, and fibromyalgia) in general coping and pain-specific coping; (2) to examine the relationship between general and pain-specific coping and, (3) to examine the influence of state-trait anxiety on general and pain-specific coping. The sample included 80 individuals (range=19-70 years; mean=47; SD=9.9), who were patients at two pain management clinics for examination of their physical and psychosocial health conditions and consideration on disability pension. The patients were asked to respond to theStrategies to Handle Stress Questionnaire, theCoping Strategies Questionnaireand theState-Trait Anxiety Inventory. ⋯ Anxiety-prone patients with fibromyalgia might benefit from psychological support in the process of coping with pain. Copyright 1998 The British Infection Society. All rights reserved.
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Z Arztl Fortbild Qualitatssich · Jan 1998
Review[Indications and limits of nerve block techniques].
Repetitive nerve blocks as a monotherapeutic treatment are loosing importance in the therapy of chronic pain. Such invasive methods for pain reduction are just one strategy in the interdisciplinary and multimodal planning of pain therapy. ⋯ Furthermore, it is necessary for the physician to know the typical complications of the invasive treatment and to be able to manage them. It is recommended to document the pain course.
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The lack of objective parameters makes the measurement of pain and the efficacy of pain treatment in patients with chronic pain very difficult. We performed acupuncture therapy in fibromyalgia patients and established a combination of methods to objectify pain measurement before and after therapy. The parameters corresponded to patients' self-report. ⋯ This was accompanied by decreased serotonin concentration in platelets and an increase of serotonin and substance P levels in serum. These results suggest that acupuncture therapy is associated with changes in the concentrations of pain-modulating substances in serum. The preliminary results are objective parameters for acupuncture efficacy in patients with fibromyalgia.